Hey friends! 

October is here and hopefully wherever you are feels like fall! We have an incredible month of interviews coming up! As you know, each month we're doing a Bonus Series! If you haven't listened to September's Bonus Series on World Religions, I encourage you to go check it out! This month we're sharing stories of Pregnancy and Infant Loss. Even if you haven't experienced this kind of loss firsthand, I hope these conversations can help you learn how to support and be a good friend when the people in your life do walk through this. 

Other guests this month include Mike Todd, Justin Earley, Faith Eury Cho, and Julie Chen Moonvez! Trust me when I say you don't want to miss these interviews! 

If you haven't joined The Happy Hour Book Club, what are you waiting for?! This month we're reading THE DEEP DOWN THINGS by Amber Haines & Seth Haines. In The Deep Down Things, Amber and Seth point to a simple truth: even in the darkest times, there are tangible signs of hope all around us. The authors demonstrate how tasting, touching, feeling, holding, and participating in these tangible acts of hope picks us up, builds our strength, and moves us into beauty, even in times of despair. They invite readers to participate with those signs of hope and thereby experience the divine love of God, even in the struggle of their everyday lives. Click here to join our book club today!

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Dwell Differently - code: JAMIE

Psalm 48:14

I’m going to be honest, with the election year right around the corner, I start getting nervous! The political climate and the way the Church weaves into it can be unsettling. But is it possible for us to fight the narrative that it’s “us against them”? Is it possible to talk about things that Jesus taught about during his time on Earth, and have a biblical lens and not a political lens? Is it possible to stay humble, work on relationships, and truly be the salt and light of the world? On today’s show Phil Vischer and I tackle how we think the answer to all of those questions is a resounding YES!

Phil is a filmmaker, author, speaker and humorist, best known as the co-creator of VeggieTales, creator of What's in the Bible? and co-host of the Holy Post Podcast. He lives in West Chicago, IL with his wife Lisa and 3 adult children. He is funny, insightful, and so much fun to be around. Phil creates content that is thought provoking and calls out problems we see in evangelicalism today and potential threats to the American church. 

Even if this conversation made you feel a little uncomfortable or gave you food for thought, my prayer is that we all are slow to speak, quick to listen, and love people like Jesus! 

SHOW LINKS:

Holy Post

The Bulletin 

Good Faith 

The Ballot and the Bible 

The Evangelical Imagination

The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism

Biblical Critical Theory

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Happy Hour Book Club

As the world’s conversation around same-sex relationships and marriage gets louder, it’s my desire as a christian to know how to listen and engage in a humble, Christ-like way. Today’s guest loves the Word of God and the people of God and engages in this topic with such love, compassion, depth, and thoughtfulness. I’m so incredibly grateful to have Preston Sprinkle on The Happy Hour for the very first time!

Dr. Preston Sprinkle is a biblical scholar, speaker, podcaster, a New York Times bestselling author, and is the co-founder and president of The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender. Preston loves talking and writing about hot-button cultural and theological issues with thoughtfulness, honesty and grace. He is passionate about approaching topics that everyone wants to know about, but few are willing to talk honestly and graciously about. Topics like sexuality, gender, race, violence, patriotism, hell, politics, war, and what it means to follow a Jewish prophet-king who was executed for treason. He works hard to challenge himself and others to read the Bible with conviction and humility, while holding their predetermined beliefs loosely.

Maybe you think this topic doesn’t affect you, or you’re feeling apprehensive after listening to our conversation. My prayer is that we can think more deeply, love more widely, and learn to listen and engage in conversations in Christ-honoring ways.

SHOW LINKS:

Center of Faith

People to be Loved

Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage?

Launch Podcast

Theology in the Raw

Christian Sexuality

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HAPPY HOUR BOOK CLUB

Too often we try to fill a God-size void with the things and people of this world. It isn’t until we wholeheartedly allow God to fill us and satisfy us with his love that we can have a healthy relationship with Him, ourselves, and others. A new guest to the Happy Hour, Madison Prewett Troutt, joins me in a conversation about a time when her life was transformed as she began to fully be satisfied in God alone. 

Madison "Madi" Prewett Troutt is a bestselling author of Made for This Moment, speaker, social media influencer, and TV personality. Madi’s life mission is to share the name of Jesus and to help women discover who they were made to be and where to find the truest form of love. Madi currently lives in Waco, Texas, with her husband, Grant Troutt.

On today’s show Madi and I talk about filling our heart with a love that can only come from God and the pursuit of purity in our lives. Whether you’re single and in your twenties, or married in your forties, we’ve all experienced times of loneliness or discontentment. I hope today’s episode encourages you to trust God with your heart and allow him to satisfy your every need! The love you're looking for is already yours!

SHOW LINKS:

The Love Everyone Wants 

Matthew 22:35-39

Matthew 5 

Why Do I Do What I Don’t Want to Do

The PIlgrim’s Progress 

HH Book Club

Happy Friday friends! I am so thrilled to be bringing you a special series today. This month’s bonus series is on World Religions. We have two episodes covering this topic with expert guests Doug Groothuis and Preston Perry. Both of these men are filled with a wealth of knowledge and I’m so excited for us to learn together!

After completing my first interview with apologist, Dr. Doug Groothuis, I knew I wanted to have a similar conversation with my friend, Preston Perry. Preston is a poet, author, apologist, and co-host, along with his wife Jackie, of a podcast called “With the Perry’s.”  His love for people inspires him to pair transparency and vulnerability with his creativity in a way that promotes freedom. Preston pursues engagement with people from various faith backgrounds. He has a palpable passion for God’s word, and stands on biblical truth amidst his study of other religions. In today’s episode, Preston and I talk about evangelism, apologetics, and the opportunities to engage people with different religious beliefs than our own.

Talking with someone who doesn’t share your beliefs can be intimidating. I hope this series reminds you that the gospel holds up where other faith systems don’t. You don’t have to have every answer before pursuing intentional conversations with lost people!

SHOW LINKS:

Where Does It Say That?

With the Perrys Podcast 

Tedashii on HH

Esau McCaulley on HH

How Far to the Promised Land

Happy Hour Book Club

The Peasant King

Happy Friday friends! I am so thrilled to be bringing you a special series today. This month’s bonus series is on World Religions. We have two episodes covering this topic with expert guests Doug Groothuis and Preston Perry. Both of these men are filled with a wealth of knowledge and I’m so excited for us to learn together! 

Christians today are facing the growing reality of religious pluralism, with all of the unique challenges and opportunities that come along with that reality. In part 1 of this series I sit down with Dr. Douglas Groothuis, a professor at Denver Seminary and author of 19 books. His passion is to bring the truth of Christianity to the church and to the world according to his gifts as a teacher, preacher, writer, and mentor. He has been married to his wife Kathleen since 2019 and he’s an avid jazz and dog lover. In our conversation Dr. Groothius shares insights about some of the major religions of the world and encourages followers of Jesus to be prepared to engage these ideas in their everyday lives.

Although it can feel like an overwhelming task, our proximity to people with different religious views provides followers of Jesus with a massive opportunity for the gospel. I hope my conversation with Dr. Groothuis encouraged your faith and inspired you to share the good news of Jesus with a friend, family member or neighbor who needs him!

SHOW LINKS:

Doug Groothuis 

World Religions in 7 Sentences

Navigating Gospel Truth

Tessa Afshar

The Peasant King

The Happy Hour Book Club

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Structural racism and social justice in the United States of America is a complicated story. I couldn’t think of anyone better to have on the show to talk about that complicated story other than today’s guest, my friend, Esau McCaulley. 

Esau McCaulley is an associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. He is the author of many works including Sharing in the Son’s Inheritance and Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope. He is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times and his writings have also appeared in places such as The Atlantic, Washington Post, and Christianity Today.

In Esau’s newest book, How Far to the Promised Land: One Family’s Story of Hope and Survival in the American South, he takes us on a journey through his family tree and the community that shaped him into the man he is today. He raises questions like what it means to be human and what does each person’s struggle to build a life teach us about what we owe each other? This book brings into light our often too-simple narrative of poverty and upward mobility. I encourage you to lean into the hard, engage in the tough conversations, and go pre-order this book today! 

SHOW LINKS:

How Far to the Promised Land

Reading While Black

Last episode with Esau McCaulley

Happy Hour Book Club

Denver Seminary

The Peasant King

Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal

Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit

Sharing in the Son’s Inheritance

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Kids are back in school and football season has begun! Ya'll know how much I love football!

We have a great line up for September: Esau McCaulley, Madison Prewett Troutt, Preston Sprinkle, and Phil Vischer. Trust me, you don't want to miss these shows! 

You already know that we went to one episode a week. We want to give you the absolute best shows we can and we believe this is the best step forward. With that, we will have special bonus series and we are so excited to kick off our first bonus series with you this month. This month's bonus series topic is World Religions with Preston Perry and Doug Groothuis. Both of these shows are so challenging and I hope you enjoy them! 

Have you joined our book club yet? This month we are reading The Peasant King by my friend Tessa Afshar. This book isn't even released until November but The Happy Hour Book Club gets it THIS MONTH!! It's easy to sign up, click here to join!

Happy September Friends!

SHOW LINKS:

Quarterback

Favored Conference

CityRise Women's Night of Worship

Happy Hour Book Club

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Once tragedy hits there is life before the tragedy and life after the tragedy. There is often a need for a new normal to be established. Tedashii knows this all too well after tragedy suddenly hit his family. On today’s show Tedashii shares with us how he came to know the Lord and how he clung to his faith as he found his new normal after the loss of his child. 

Tedashii is a tenured artist, musician, communicator, and writer burdened to see equity brought to the marginalized. Growing up in Texas on the fringes of society, family and football were everything - then he found faith in Christ. With this faith, he ventured into vocational ministry and eventually artistry as a member of the 116 on Reach Records. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a duel Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Sociology to further his ambitions to reach those beyond his city limits. For the last twenty years he’s devoted his life to encouraging others to find their identity in God and leading a movement of unashamed believers who desire to engage the world for His glory. He is the founder of the Chase Foundation—an organization to serve families who have lost children by being a present help for future hope, the originator of Chase Wellness, the CEO of Unashamed Ministries, and the host of his podcast The Dash. Tedashii and his wife (Danielle) live in Atlanta, GA and are the proud parents of four amazing boys. 

You may not have lost a child, but I’m certain you’ve had tragedy in your life. Today’s episode encourages and challenges us to change our perspective of hardships and not our perspective of God.

SHOW LINKS:

HH Book Club

Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering

Burn the Boats

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